sneakers

Los Angeles, California | 6/5/19 – 6/12/19

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Long time no blog! I have not been active on here in a few months because I’ve been dedicating all of my time to a new project (will talk about in next post). Now that I have finished that, I want to finally make a post about my second trip to California back in June!

outfit : bodysuit : Bershka (similar) | jeans : Rag & Bone (similar) | heels : Bershka (similar) | bag : Bershka x PANTONE

We spent our first day in LA in my favorite area, the Melrose and Fairfax district. A great place for streetwear and vintage shopping. Also, I love seeing all the art and how it has all changed since the last time I was here, three months prior.

outfit : Jeans : BLDWN (similar) | shoes : Veja | top : Forever 21 (similar)

Our second day was spent in Santa Barbara! It was about an hour drive from LA with very little traffic and it was a gloomy day but for here, it was perfect. A trip to the Santa Barbara Mission is a must. It is really beautiful and actually very interesting.

There are a TON of restaurants in Santa Barbara, like a ton, so go here on an empty stomach. If you like seafood (I do not but if youuu do) you’re in the right place!

Also definitely take a walk down State Street. It is full of shops; some well known and some local.

Sunday was spent around Venice Beach. Out of all the times I’ve been to LA, I’ve never been to Venice. This was a crowded spot for sure but it was really cool to see all of the street performers and artists, touristy shops, and the skate culture here. Tip: find a good spot on the beach away from people and it’ll feel less crowded. Tip #2: wear sunscreen…

outfit : set : Forever 21 (similar) | shoes : Bershka (similar)

swimsuit : Target | coverup : Forever 21

We had a full relaxed day around Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Encino (where we stayed). I got to see some family and an amazing sunset over Studio City.

One of my favorite things to do here is to drive through the Hollywood Hills at night. You get to drive by some amazing homes and there are multiple scenic outlooks that let you view all of LA. Route Muholland Drive to get there and then feel free to get lost.

Last trip we went to Disneyland so this time we went to Universal. Personally, I enjoyed Disney a lot more; there was just more to do. Universal was cool but it was so insanely hot and the lines were ridiculous. If you’re going to Universal, invest in the fast pass. It’s a little more expensive but it will be worth it; I wish I would have done this.

On our very last day, we had no plans so I googled things to do, as any tourist would, and we decided to head to Malibu and ended the night driving down the beach to Santa Monica. This day was full of oceans and sunsets and it was the best.

If you’re ever in Malibu, go eat at the Coral Cantina. It’s no Malibu Farm, but the food is super good.

Stay tuned for my next post where I announce on here what I’ve been working on for the last 5 months!

xx Bella

Graffiti Fashion

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

This is probably one of the most out there looks I’ve worn and I want to keep evolving my style just like this. I wore one of my dad’s old graphic tees over a neon green turtleneck with a matching beanie. This outfit paired perfectly with the backdrop. It’s fun to play with color but I like to tone it down just a bit so I added some plain blue jeans and sneakers.

xx Bella

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top : vintage | turtleneck : Zara (similar) | belt : Gucci | jeans : vintage (similar) | shoes : Fila | beanie : Carhartt

OOTD : 2/14/19

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

I was inspired by 90s fashion for this outfit! I layered a sparkly top over a mesh shirt with a chunky necklace to keep that Paris Hilton vibe alive and added the most amazing lavender snakeskin flares to make it fashionable. To top off the look, I threw on my favorite pair of chunky white sneakers that I wear like everyday.

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mesh top : Missguided (similar) | sparkly top : H&M (similar) | pants : Etiquette Boutique | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

See you soon, Kansas City

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Hi!!!

I have officially left for my big adventure to Florence, Italy for school! (this post was written prior to leaving but I scheduled it so it would post while I was in the air) My last blog post in Kansas City for a few months does mean a lot to me. I love this city with all of my heart and have spent my entire life here. Every single person I have met here has been so kind and so supportive. This city is growing everyday and has so so much to offer. I am thankful to be apart of this community and I most definitely will miss it but I am ready for this new adventure.

This is one of my favorite outfits ever. It’s not one of my most “out-there” outfits but one that does mean a lot to me. I bought this graphic tee that says “creative director” almost 2 years ago from Zara and it didn’t feel right to wear as I didn’t feel I was working in that field yet. 2018 has been so good to me and I have had some insane opportunities that I feel like now the time is right. I love the Kansas City skyline in the background with me in the focus. I kind of took that as this city is always on my mind but I need to focus on me and my dreams now.

Thank you for everything, Kansas City. I’ll see you soon.

xx Bella

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graphic tee : Zara | skirt : Urban Outfitters (similar) | purse : Wild Fable collection via Target | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

photographer : Abby Liudahl

Metallic Going Out Dress

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Good Morning!

This morning, I am bringing you an evening/going-out look to get you through this Monday! A few weeks ago, Forever 21 was having a major sale and I got this metallic teal dress for $6!!! I am always a bit skeptical with shopping online at F21 because their sizing is iffy with my body type. However, it was a perfect fit! I paired it with a sheer black short-sleeve tee from AFRM underneath to edge it up a little bit and some lookalike Louis Vuitton sneaks from IKRush.

Sneakers have been a favorite of mine lately because, not only are they super in style but they make you stand out in a sea of high heels and booties.

I shot these pics with the lovely Abby Liudahl and while we were shooting, we ran out of natural sunlight and had to switch over to using flash. Both of us rarely use flash photography but these turned out so different from both of our regular blog posts, to switch things up a bit.

xx Bella

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dress : Forever 21 (similar) | sheer top : AFRM (similar) | shoes : IKRush (similar) | earrings : Vintage (similar)

photographer : Abby Liudahl

OOTN : 7/22/18

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Do I look like I’m about to take some kids to the amusement park? Absolutely.

Total 90s vibes is what I was going for with this outfit. I paired this satin top (I think it’s lingerie but I’m not sure, it was $4 on clearance at Target and I couldn’t pass it up) with a Nasty Gal fanny pack and my FAVORITE Fila Disruptor II chunky dad sneakers.

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top : Target (similar) | shorts : Hidden Denim via Etiquette Boutique (similar) | fanny pack : Nasty Gal (similar) | shoes : Fila Disruptor II | sunglasses : Modern Society

Yellow Pop

~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

I am beyond excited to finally be sharing the last outfit that I shot with Madi Dombrowski because it is my favorite out of the three. See the first look here, and the second here.

I am about to start my sophomore year at Stephens College and I am really excited about it. I really found myself this past year not only in style but on the inside as well. Style does plays a huge role on who you are and it definitely is starting to shape me as a person. This year I plan to take risks; not only fashion risks but life risks as well. My goal is to explore more, try new things and meet new people. Life is all about experiences and I want to fill this next year with lots of them. Something I also want to focus on is being my best self and not comparing myself to others. This is the key to confidence, and with confidence you can do it all.

This all sounds kind of cheesy but these are real things that are important to me and I can’t wait to follow these goals to live my best life.

Yellow tinted sunglasses have been all the rage this Summer and after I bought this pair I understood why; they make this outfit. This outfit is the right amount of everything. The flowy pants make it carefree but the denim jacket and sneakers edge it up a bit and add some structure.

I hope this post gives off at least some inspiration. I have a lot planned so stay tuned.

xx Bella

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jacket : Urban Outfitters (similar) | pants : Vintage (similar) | top : Brandy Melville (similar) | sunglasses : Nordstrom (different color) | shoes : Nike | belt : Vintage (similar)

photographer : Madi Dombrowski (Instagram)